For the first time in years, Florida homeowners are getting a break on insurance costs. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state-backed insurer of last resort, has approved an 8.7% rate reduction effective in 2026, and the ripple effects are being felt across Volusia County. This is not a small adjustment. For the average Volusia County homeowner, an 8.7% cut translates to real money back in...
The Numbers Don't Lie: Q1 2026 is a Game-Changer New figures show Florida's real estate market is firing on all cylinders. Closed sales surged 5.9% year-over-year, with 24,497 homes sold in March alone compared to 23,128 homes last year. But the headline that matters most to sellers and buyers alike: median sale prices for existing homes hit $420,000, the highest level in 21 months. For context, this...
If you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the right moment to buy or sell, this spring might be the window you were waiting for. Mortgage rates have dropped to 6.13% on the 30-year fixed, the lowest we have seen this spring. The Mortgage Bankers Association projects rates will stay in the low-to-mid 6% range through the rest of 2026. That is meaningful movement from where we were just a few...
Here's something the national headlines miss about spring market timing. Homes listed in April in our area sell 15-20% faster than those hitting the market in June. It's not luck. It's not magic. It's market physics. Why Spring Timing Matters Spring demand is here. Inventory is limited. Buyer energy is returning after the holiday lull. Homes that are priced right, marketed right, and listed RIGHT NOW...
Here is something the national headlines miss about spring market timing. Homes listed in April in our area sell 15-20% faster than those hitting the market in June. It is not luck. It is not magic. It is market physics. Why Spring Timing Matters Spring demand is here. Inventory is limited. Buyer energy is returning after the holiday lull. Homes that are priced right, marketed right, and listed RIGHT...
Here is something the national headlines miss about spring market timing. Homes listed in April in our area sell 15-20% faster than those hitting the market in June. It is not luck. It is not magic. It is market physics. Why Spring Timing Matters Spring demand is here. Inventory is limited. Buyer energy is returning after the holiday lull. Homes that are priced right, marketed right, and listed RIGHT...
You may have seen the headlines calling Florida the "second worst housing market" in the country. That sounds alarming. But like most national headlines, it misses the local story entirely. Let us look at what is actually happening in Volusia County this spring and what it means for buyers and sellers right here in Daytona Beach, Port Orange, and New Smyrna Beach. The National Picture Nationally,...
Here is a number worth sitting with: over 52% of listings nationally are now considered stale, meaning they have been on the market for 60 days or more without going under contract. That is the largest seller surplus on record. In Volusia County, days on market are ranging from 62 to 83 days depending on the area and property type. The sale-to-list ratio is running around 96 to 97%, which means buyers are...
If you only read headlines, you would think the housing market is either on fire or falling apart. The reality is far less dramatic, and far more useful. Volusia County is not in a crash. It is in a rebalancing phase. Median sale prices are hovering around the $340,000 range, roughly flat to slightly up depending on the source. Median listing prices are sitting closer to $369,900. Homes are taking around...
The 2021 pricing mindset is expensive in 2026. For the last few years, some sellers got used to listing high and letting the market catch up. That worked in a low-inventory, high-frenzy environment. It does not work the same way today. In Volusia County, homes are taking longer to move than they were a year ago. Buyers have more options. Price cuts are more common. And the listings getting the strongest...